Friends of Deckers Creek
represents a membership of about 300 citizens and businesses in
Monongalia and Preston Counties that promote the recreational
opportunities and economic benefits that clean water brings to
our community. The lock hours on the Monongahela River affect the
ability of boaters to use the river and nearby Deckers Creek for
recreation, and we ask you to support a proposed interim
solution.

The Upper Mon locks at Hildebrand
and Opekiska are now open only from 12:30PM to 8:20PM Saturdays,
Sundays, and holidays during the recreational boating season. The
Morgantown lock, open 7AM to 3PM weekdays, switches to the hours
for Hildebrand and Opekiska on weekends and holidays. We
appreciate that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has made this
concession for recreational boating, given their budget problems.

Friends of Deckers Creek supports
the Interim Solution for Upper Mon recreational boating lock
hours that has been proposed by the Upper Monongahela River
Association. Until they are restored to 24/7 operations, we would
like to have the three locks open from 6AM to l0PM on Fridays,
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays during the May 1 to October 31
recreational boating season. Doing so will encourage recreational
boaters to travel the Upper Mon from Point Marion to Fairmont on
weekends. It would also permit continuation of efforts by our Mon
River VISION 2020 Recreation Committee, Morgantown Area Chamber
of Commerce, and others to pursue economic development of the
Upper Mon for recreational boating and related recreations. We
believe that the cost of this Interim Solution is minimal.

We ask that you help bring about
our proposed Interim Solution for the Upper Mon lock hours.